Can feeding device



Dec. 17, 1940; H. H. DECKER CAN FEEDING DEVICE Filed April 18, 1958 9 H. Dec1cer W Z214 Patented Dec. 17, 1940 PATENT OFFICE CAN FEEDING DEVICE Harry H. Decker, Chicago, 111., assignor to The Lathrop-Paulson Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application April 18, 1938, SerialNo. 202,783

11 Claims.

lEThis invention relates to a can feeding device. The invention is obviously applicable for feeding other objects.

In the use of reciprocating propelling devices, such as are commonly used in milk can washing machines, pivoted dogs are employed for engaging the rear side of the can and propelling it forward. In such operations, however, it is common for the operator to feed the can too far forward so that often the dog fits within the mouth of the canand this forces the can out of position at each of the treating positions. Furthermore, it is necessary for the operator to watch the movement of the carrier so as to be sure that he is placing the can in the right position and at the right moment with respect to the movement of the carrier.

An object of the present invention is to provide means which will feed the can automatically forward into the. desired position and in timed relation with the movement of the reciprocating advancing means. A further object is to provide apparatus whereby constantly reciprocating advancing means may be employed while at the same time the operator may disregard the movement of the advancing mechanism and merely place the can on a platform, automatic feeding mechanism taking care of the feeding of the cans.

in proper timed relation with the advancing means. Other specific objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds.

The invention is illustrated, in a preferred embodiment, by the accompanying drawing, in which Figural is a broken plan view of apparatus embodying my invention, a portion of the receiving platform being removed; Fig. 2, a longitudinal sectional View, the section being taken as indie cated at line 2 of Fig. 1; andFig. 3 a perspective View of. the feeding mechanism dog.

In the apparatus illustrated, A designates a supporting structure; B, can advancing means; and. C, the automatic feeder.

The supporting structure A is of well known construction and is not shown or described in detail except as to that portion of the apparatus with. whichthe automatic. feeder specifically cooperates. Canwashing machines of this type are so common that the illustration given will be sufficient for a clear understanding of the invention. The supporting structure A consists primarily of the can tracks Ill which are of a well known construction and which are provided with downwardly extending angle iron sides ll. [2 designates a, portion of. the supporting structure for the tracks Hi, the member l2 carrying uprights [3 which are welded to the side flanges ll of. tracks I'D. Below the tracks or guides It! extends a supporting structure I4 to Whichis welded the U-shape-dbeam 5. Supported by beam 15 is a feed platform I6, a portion of the platform being omitted in the drawing. The platform is provided centrally and forward in-its center with alongitudinal slot I'I through which the feed dog carried by the automatic feed mechj n anism C moves. a

The reciprocating feed mechanism is of well known construction and is commonly in use in machines of this type today. It consists of a pair of feed bars l8, each equipped with a plurality 15 of weighted dogs 9. The bars Illv are secured together by bolts 2! The feed members are carried by suitable rollers (not shown) and are reciprocated back and forth in the well known manner for such bars, and in this operation the 20 pivot dogs l9 pass under the cans in moving rearwardly and then are reversed to propel the cans forward for one step.

My automatic feed mechanism C may alsobe of any suitable construction. In the simple struc- 5 ture illustrated, it consists of a pair of extension shafts 2|. which, at their rear ends, are brought together to form a narrow spaced support for the feed dog 22. At their forward ends, the arms extend along the angle iron members 23 to the vertical flange of which the members 2| are bolted at 24. The long bolts25 are employed for securing the forward ends of shafts 18 to the vertical flanges of members 23 and to the members 2|. The bolt also serves as a pivot for the dogs l9.

With the structure shown, the members 2! thus reciprocate with the members l8 and 23, all of these parts being secured together and moving forwardly and rearwardly at the same time. The dog l9,. as illustrated, extends over the horizontal flange of the member 23 and is prevented by engagement with this flange. from pivoting rearwardly when it is in can advancing position and engages a can. Since the member 23 does not extend below the auxiliary feed dog 22, it is necessary to provide the dog with a lateral flange 26 which engages the edge of the member 2| when the dog is in the position shown in Fig. 2 and thus prevents rearward pivotal movement of the dog. However, the dog 22 can tilt forwardly to permit it t6 pass under the mouth of a can.

In. the operation of the device, the operator merely places the can upon the feeding platform It so that, the mouth of the can rests thereon in the central portion thereof. This is all that is necessary. The operator can ignore the position of the reciprocating apparatus. Should the automatic feed dog 22 be in the position shown in Fig. 1, the can will rest over the dog and be advanced by it to the accurate feed position at the next forward movement of the reciprocating mechanism B.

Should the dog 22 be in forward position when the can is placed upon the platform, the dog will tilt forward as it travels rearwardly and pass under the mouth of the can to the position shown in Fig. 2, in which position it is ready to advance the can upon the next forward stroke of the mechanism B.

When the feeding mechanism thereof has advanced the can to the proper feed position for the advancing mechanism B, the rearward movement of the bars 18 causes the dog [9 to pass beneath the can. Then uponforward movement of the bars the dog l9'will engage the rear of the can. The forward movement of the bars and dog advances the can to a new position where it is picked up by the next dog I9. The dogs H) are approximately equidistantly spaced from each other in order to permit the length of the reciprocating movement to be only slightly greaterthan the distance of travel of the can.

With an advancing mechanism of this type it is preferable to space the dog 22 from the first dog I9 by a distance less than the equidistant spacing between the dogs l9. The difference in spacing should be approximately the difference between the inner edge of the wall on one side of the can and the outer edge of the opposite side of the can. Thus the dog l9 engaging the interior of the can will deliver it to a position where the rear portion of the can may be engaged by the dog l9. If such a spacing arrangement is not used, it is necessary to provide for a movement of the advancing mechanism substantially greater than the distance traveled by the can in each step, or to provide the feed mechanism with a separate reciprocating movement traveling a substantially greater distance than that of the advancing mechanism.

It will be noted that in the operation described, it is necessary for the dog 22, when it is ahead of the can, ,to pass only one obstruction to reach the positionshown in Fig. 2 and that obstruction is the single wall of the can. It is not obliged topass two wallsof the can, as is necessary for the feed dogs l9. There is thus practically no possibility of the feed member failing to engage a can placed upon the platform and to feed it forward into the accurate position where it is engaged by the advancing mechanism. It will be observed that there is not only a saving in accuracy and in the avoidance of mistake on the part of the operator, but there is a much less requirement of attention on the part of the operator. He can devote greater attention to the dumping operation and other necessary steps and can satisfy the can feeding requirements by simply depositing the can upon the platform without regard to any position of the feeding mechanism. In other words, the operator need only place each can in the same position on the platform. I

While in the foregoing specification, I have set forth specific mechanism for feeding the can toa constantly or intermittently operating feeding mechanism, it will be understood that equivalent structures embodying my invention will be obvious to those skilled in the art and may be employed without departing from the spirit of my invention.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, but the appended claims should be construed as broadly as permissible, in View of the prior art.

I claim: I

1. In apparatus of the class described, an article guide support, longitudinally reciprocating mechanism for advancing articles along said support, longitudinally spaced article-advancing dogs pivotally mounted on said reciprocating mechanism, and an auxiliary feed dog pivotally mounted on said reciprocating mechanism at one end thereof and spaced longitudinally from the nearest of said article-advancing dogs by a distance less than the distance between adjacent pairs of said article-advancing dogs.

2. In apparatus of the class described, a can guide support, can advancing mechanism including a pair of bars equipped with'pivot dogs, and an auxiliary can feeding device supported rearwardly and substantially midway between said bars for engaging the front inner Wall of a can to advance the same into position where the outer side of the can will be engaged at the rear portion thereof by said dogs- 3. In apparatus of the class described, a can guide support, can advancing mechanism including a pair of bars equipped with pivot dogs, and an auxiliary can feeding device supported rearwardly and between said bars for engaging the front inner wall of a can to advance the same into position where the outer side of the rear wall of the can will be engaged by said dogs, said auxiliary can feeding device comprising a pivot dog supported upon closely spaced shafts substantially midway between said dog bars.

4. In apparatus of the class set forth, a can guide support, reciprocating mechanism for advancing cans along said support by engagement with the outer side of the rear walls thereof, said reciprocating mechanism including a pair of bars equipped with dogs for engaging said cans, and an auxiliary feed device secured to said reciprocating mechanism and comprising a single dog pivotally supported at the rear of said reciprocating mechanism spaced from and substantially midway between said bars, said dog being adapted to engage the cans at the front inner walls thereof.

5. In apparatus of the class described, a can guide support, means for advancing cans thereon, said means including reciprocating bars spaced apart and equipped withpivot dogs, an auxiliary can feeding device comprising shafts secured to said dog shafts and brought into closely spaced position to the rear thereof, and a feed dog pivotally supported therebetween.

6. In can washing apparatus of the class described, a can guide support, means for advancing cans thereon, said means comprising reciprocating bars equipped with pivot dogs, said bars being spaced apart and extension shafts secured to said bars extending rearwardly and inwardly thereof and brought into closely spaced apart relation, and an elongated pivot dog supported by said shafts and extending sufficiently high to engage the neck portion of a can, said last-mentioned dog being equipped with means for preventing rearward pivotal movement thereof after it engages the neck of a can.

7. In can washing machines of the class described, a can guide support, means for advancing cans thereon, said means including a pair of bars spaced apart and equipped with dogs for engaging the outer rear wall of a can on the guide support, said bars being mounted for reciprocal movement, an extension carried by said advancing mechanism and extending rearwardly and inwardly of said spaced bars, and a dog for engaging the front inner wall of the neck of a can, said dog being pivotally carried by said ex tension, and being equipped with means for preventing rearward pivotal movement thereof after it engages the neck of a can for feeding the can to a forward position.

8. In can washing apparatus of the class described, a can guide support, reciprocating means for advancing cans thereon, said means being provided with equidistantly spaced pivot dogs for engaging the rear portion of said cans, and feed mechanism carried by said can advancing means and reciprocating therewith, said feed mechanism comprising a dog spaced from the nearest of said pivot dogs a distance less than the distance between the pivot dogs.

9. In can washing apparatus of the class described, a can guide support, reciprocating means for advancing cans thereon, said means being provided with a plurality of pivot dogs for engaging the rear portion of said cans, and feed mechanism carried by said can advancing means and reciprocating therewith, said feed mechanism comprising a dog spaced from the nearest of said pivot dogs a distance less than the distance between the pivot dogs.

10. In can washing apparatus of the class described, a can guide support, reciprocating means for advancing cans thereon, said means being provided with a plurality of dogs for engaging the rear portion of said cans, and reciprocating feed mechanism for delivering said cans to said can advancing means, said feed mechanism comprising a dog spaced from the nearest of the first mentioned dogs a distance less than the distance between said first mentioned dogs.

11. In apparatus of the class described, a can guide support, can advancing mechanism including a pair of bars equipped with a plurality of pivot dogs, and an auxiliary can feeding device supported rearwardly and between said bars for engaging the front inner wall of a can to advance the same to a position where the outer side of the rear wall of the can will be engaged by said dogs, said auxiliary can feeding device comprising a dog supported upon closely spaced shafts substantially midway between said bars.

HARRY H. DECKER. 

